Security threats Toolkit
Story: Microsoft AntiSpyware: Is it worth bothering with?
Is it worth bothering with? You bet!
I use Ad-Aware and Spybot (always with the latest adware dictionaries) on a regular basis, and when I saw details on ZDNet of MS's new AntiSpyware beta I naturally thought I'd give it a go, out of curiosity. Thank god I did.
I ran Ad-Aware & Spybot first, on 2 PCs. Both machines were found to have an assortment of the usual tracking cookies but nothing nasty. I then let the MS tool loose and was horrified when it found a keystroke logger embedded on my corporate laptop and an ad displayer on the other machine, a corporate desktop.
So what if it isn't designed to root out pesky tracking cookies? These aren't really a threat, though they irritate the heck out of me. The MS jobbie saved my bacon and I have recommended all my colleagues to try it.
God knows how long that malware was on those machines; as a supposedly savvy consultant I pride myself in running clean machines. Much like Firefox users, I felt that any tool offered by MS would be grossly inferior to the excellent Ad-Aware & Spybot, but it turns out that their aquisition of Giant Software was a bloody smart move.
I hate to sound like an MS flunky, and if they charge loads for this once it's out of beta then I take it all back, but for now I am bloody thankful they released it.
Full Talkback thread
Story: Microsoft AntiSpyware: Is it worth bothering with?
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Is it worth bothering with? You bet!
I use Ad-Awar... Chris Nixon -
Chris, strange that your anti-virus software... Arthur B. -
Not sure how it got past AV, I think I m... Chris Nixon -
Interestingly Spybot detects "Avenu... Anonymous -
Try runnning it on a PC that's been connected to t... chris -
I am a techie, and manage about 500 customers. Th... Grant techie -
I installed the Beta MS anti spyware on Jan 9... Ashwin -
Well, I've seen this Microsoft AntiSpyware in acti... Arthur B. -
This "review" was so lame i laughed!
it was good i... Myles -
I tried the BETA for about 2 weeks and was unimpre... Anonymous









